Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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ji . . ' • - • • V ■ ‘ • . - . v.’ •/. ,x-f T • — The Welcome Back is * It's here! City begins renovations on Assembly, Main streets by Kristin von Kara w sky Tiie Gamecock Returning students will be noticing some changes down town this fall and in the upcoming spring as Main anAssem bly Streets are set to undergo major facelifts. The purpose of the streetscaping initiative is to beau tify and improve the appearance of Columbia's primary downtown corridor so that more people will shop on Main Street, said Jim Gambrell, director of Columbia economic development. The consultants for the project are LDR Internation al, an urban design and planning firm based in Columbia, Maryland, and Chao & Associates, a local firm based in West Columbia. The projected plan consists ol three phases. Phase I construction, from Laurel to Hampton Street, begins in March 2001, and ends in November 2001. Phase II, from Hiimpton to Gervais Street, is scheduled to begin in January 2002 and end the following fall. Phase III, from Laurel to Elmwood Avenue, should begin in the spring of 2003 and end sometime in the fall. The cost of the Main Street project is over $10 mil lion, Gambrell said. Jimmy Chao, Project Manager and President.of Chao and Associates, Inc., a local consulting firm, said that the cost will be closer to $ 11 million. Phase III hits not yet been funded. Renovations see page as Fewer cars, more green space ■ New "green space" replaces * parking lots by John Huiett The Gamecock Parking lots that have long given students close access to the Russell House, Thomas Cooper Library and Longslreel Theater have been cleared out to make room lor “green spaces” as part of USC’s Master Plan. Behind orange barricades and signs pro claiming the lots closed permanently, work crews began broke up asphalt in June, clear ing the lots on either siae of the fountain in front of Thomas Cooper Library. The main idea behind the “green spaces,” or empty grassy lawns, is to consolidate the university into more of tin interconnected cam pus as part of USC’s Master Plan, media rela lions spokesman Jtison Snyder said. “We are an urban campus, and whatever we ctin do to give a campus feel, we are go ing to do,” Snyder said. He said the open lawns could be used as recreational areas for students, for sports such as Frisbee throwing, and will add to the over all comfort level of everyone at USC. It’s the first step toward the school’s ulti mate goal of perimeter parking, with stu dents parking in areas outside the consolidat ed campus and being shuttled to class by bus. Students can still park in locations in and L around the university, Snyder said, including H the areas behind the Carolina Coliseum, at Pendleton and Pickens streets, and behind the — Sean Rayford The Gawecock Rafael Avlya, Eseblo Ruiz and Gabriel Ruiz place several of 1980 mondo grass plants In the East Quad’s courtyard. During the past year, the university’s master plan has strived to Improve the campus, including Its aesthetics. One component of the plan featured the elimination of the *vulture’ parking next to the Russell House. Strom 1 hurmond Wellness Center. However, it’s die Bull Street parking garage that is intended to accommodate students who feel inconvenienced by the sudden lack of spaces near the Russell House and library. According to Snyder, the garage has long been “under-utilized,” with its purpose being to provide additional parking for students “all along.” Another benefit of the grassy areas would be added safety, Snyder said, a univer sity concern stemming from a number of stu dent robberies and attacks on the Horseshoe in recent years. Ideally, the open, lighted lawns would provide areas where students would feel safe. But, some could say that walking a farther distance from a dark parking garage late at night to the library, dorms or Russell House would create more safety risks than the advent of “green spaces” would solve. Snyder dismissed this criticism, saying safe ly should be a constant student concern in eveiy situation. Green Space see page m Special to The Gamecock Fraternities ready to build ■ Four to break ground in Greek Village this fall by Jeff Romig The Gamecock Greek housing is something that has long been talked about at USC, but on May 25, it became a re ality for four organizations. Alpha Tau Omega, Kappa Alpha Order, Sigma Al pha Epsilon and Sigma Nu, each chose the lot that their house will occupy in the University’s Greek Village. They will be allowed to break ground behind the Strom Thurmond Health & Wellness Center in October. The final 11 lots can be acquired by any Greek organization on a first-come, first-served basis. There are currently 11 lots available for the 26 remaining Greek organizations. “Hopefully oilier fraternities and sororities will be able to begin building soon after the first four, be cause in order to have a true Greek Village, we need all of our members present,” said Edward Bender, Fra ternity Council president. Unlike other schools in the Southeastern Confer ence, USC has no plans of building a fraternity row and a sorority row. The Greek Village is available to women and men. There are, however, other spots around campus that were chosen for Greek housing lots before the pur chase of the land on which the Greek Village will be located on. But there is a possibility that those spots won’t be available after the 15 lots in the Greek Village are full. “There have been some spots on campus earmarked for Greek housing,” Runnion said. “With the dynamic nature of the University and the needs of the Master Plan, you just never know if those spaces will be avail able. The University will work with any sorority or fra ternity that wants to build a house of this nature.” Greek Housing see page /u USC hires four deans ■ Former banker assumes dean duties at business college by Steven Drummond The Gamecock While students were away this summer enjoy ing fun in the sun, USC was busy hiring four new deans lor the new school year. Veteran bank executive Joel Smith of Colum bia has been named dean of The Darla Moore School of Business. Smith, who recently announced his retirement as president of Bank of America's East Region Banking Group, will begin his responsibilities Oct. 1. He was introduced to llie USC community Mon day, Aug. 7, by President John M. Palms, who said Smith's 29-year career in banking, combined widi liis record of lead erslup and service to South Carolina and higher education, makes him an ideal choice to lead the busi ness school. “This search took far longer than any of us wanted, but we were determined to find precisely the right person,” Palms said. “This business school stands at a pivotal mo ment. It has a great fac 11 I I i# mil cl 'i n il i n ir programs, and is ready lo become one of the best business schools in the country.” Dr. Ralph White is the new dean ol the College of Engineering and Information Technology, Dr. Les Sternberg Inis been named dean of the College of Education, and Dr. Jamal J. Rossi will serve as de;ui of the School of Music. While, who was graduated from USC with a bachelors degree in engineering in 1971, returned to USC as a department chairman in 1993, after 16 years at Texas A&M University. USC President John Palms said White was the obvious choice. “As we reviewed the candidates from our na tional search for a dean, it became clear that Ralph White was the best choice to lead the College of Information and Technology,” Palms said. White, who became dean on Aug. 1, said he looks forward to the new era of education at USC. Deans see page a6 New Darla Moore School of Business dean Joel Smith. Weather Datebook Online Poll Today 93 72, Saturday 92 73 Meyer’s Cape Cod League summer Page C1 Date • 12th Annual South Car olina Playwright’s Festi val begins. Date • Halls open for fall se mester • First Night Carolina • Carolina Welcome I Look for our online questions to begin Friday, Aug. 25. & Vole ai www.gamccock.sc.edu. Results will be published each Friday: \ V